New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-06-07
MR.. BL4TNE'S REST.

Tho most distinguished private citizen OF
this Nation goes abroad for recreation ana
health. Two years Of exceptionally useful
and successful literary labor have fairly
earned for him one year of relaxation and
endowment. 1t is pity that there is not
enough dcccncy in American political life to
allow him this season Of rest, invoked by the
importmities of umor mCngcrs and the Sian
dcrs of journalistic enemies. Personal malg
ritv. however. has done its work IN the case
of Mr.. Blaine, and If, after years Of such abuse
rs be has met he is now the most popular
citizen of the Nation, he can congratulate him
self that no mud throwing in future Will hurt
him much.
When President Garfield lay on that bed OF
suffering which the people Of every civilized
nation watched with loving sympathy Amer
can freedom came to be understood ana ap
prcciatcd by millions as 1t never had been
before Had he lived TO travel in foreign
lands what mutitudes would have crowded
TO SEQ tho man who had begun life POOR boy
and sclfcducatcd and unaidcd, hal risen &c
the foremost station in tho worlds most pow
crful Nation Mr.. Baino's personal career
illustrates scarcely less forcibly the oppor
| tnnitics Of American citizenship. No accident
Of birth or fortune gave him place In th'
worlds history. His life shows what free IN
stitutions do for those who have IN them
| genuine merit and true power Of MIND ah'
/ character
4 strong and cultivated man travelling II
| Europe will often be urged to cypress ms
| opinion regarding foreign topics; Home hni'
| in Ireland. rcpubcanism in Franco or lro'ec
ton in Germany. Considerable experience
has taught even the most timid Of Mr.. Blame
friends that lac is safe to say the wise and Tho
right thing whenever he speaks at all, an'
that he also has n singular gift of silence
when spccch would bc unwisc or ill-tmed
His position in this country - private citzcT
and vet the leader Of a great party III th'
! latest Presidential contest would often cNpos'
him to msconstruction, and so VIII Oitei
prevent his speaking, no doubt, where lh'
courtcsics Of the occasion might oIhcr"iS'
permit free uttcrancc. And If heated Part'
sonsbip abroad seeks TO enlist his aid III Tor
c:gn controversies it is sure to be disappointed
But on ono topic he will never find 1t dill
cult to speak. when the circumstances make l
fitting for him to speak at all. lie can tel
Of the institutions of this country and th
opportunitics it offers TO Industrious and hon
est citizens. He can tell Of a Nation who's
Government has proved its strength in one o
tho orcatcst wars OF history. and which i
strong only because it is of the people an'
for the people. He can tell Of the wise meth
dds by which a free Nation restored its cur
rency redeemed its pledges, paid half OF al
enormous war debt in twenty years and nc
duced the interest burden by two thirds, with
out retarding any industry or Gripping an.
enterprise. tic can tell Of TIC processes b.
which free people have gained in wcalt
during twenty years Of persistent industrial
sclfdcfcnce. more than double the entr
wealth accumulated in the previous eighty
, four years Of National existence. With a
the faults Of our Government, and they ar
not few it has done some things for the pee
pie which no other government on earth ha
accomplished and of these there are few me
who can speak more instructivcly than Nj
/, RIainp